Nuburu to Develop 3D Printing Technology Under Air Force SBIR Contract

AFWERX, the Department of the Air Force‘s innovation arm, has awarded Centennial, Colorado-based Nuburua a Small Business Innovation Research Phase II contract to develop a blue laser-based 3D printing solution with area printing technology.

Nuburu will have one year to demonstrate how its blue laser technology will improve the speed and accuracy of 3D printing. Blue laser technology-based 3D printers can achieve micron-level resolution, increased part size and metal density, up to 100 times better build speeds and minimal to no post-processing and part shrinkage, Nuburu said.

Nuburu’s blue lasers feature a high-brightness, high-power design to perform laser welding and additive manufacturing of industrially important materials, such as gold and copper. According to the company, the blue laser is the best fit for copper and other industrial metals because these materials absorb blue light better.

Mark Zediker, co-founder and CEO of Nuburu, said success through the SBIR Phase II contract could allow the U.S. military to build replacement parts for aging aircraft faster than back-ordering from original suppliers. He shared that the technology would ultimately enable aircraft to return to operational readiness more quickly.

Ron Nicol, executive chairman of Nuburu, said work under the SBIR task would help bring area printing to key markets, including aerospace and the automotive industry.

The Colorado-based company offers welding and additive manufacturing solutions and products to clients in the energy storage, automotive, aerospace, health care, consumer electronics and government sectors.